MK Aflalo tenders official request to split from Kadima
Week after saying he has lost faith in party chairwoman, lawmaker issues formal request to Chairwoman Livni to leave Kadima. Move will likely result in suggestion to impose sanctions against him, but estimates indicate that coalition opposition to penalties may prevent this
Despite efforts made by the party chairwoman to prevent it, a step was made Tuesday that brought the break-up of the opposition party closer. Member of Knesset Eli Aflalo submitted his official request to Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni in which he wrote, "I ask that you move towards making a Kadima faction decision on its consensual split into two parties in order to allow my split from the party according to the law."
Kadima Faction Chairwoman MK Dalia Itzik spoke with Aflalo last week in a bid to convince him not to leave the faction. MK Shaul Mofaz also tried to prevent him from making the move, but to no avail. Aflalo said last week that he had lost faith in the party leadership.
There are three potential scenarios for what could take place following Aflalo's request. First, he could remain in Kadima should the faction decide against splitting. Second, a split could be made with the agreement of the Knesset House Committee such that Aflalo would be allowed to establish a single-person faction along with all the associated benefits.
A third scenario, which would be the least beneficial for Aflalo, is that he will be recognized as a member of Knesset who resigned from his faction. Such a move would result in the imposition of many harsh sanctions against him, putting the power in Kadima's court to request such sanctions from the Knesset House Committee.
According to the law, a member of Knesset who resigned from his faction without resigning from his term in office a short time later cannot serve as a minister or deputy minister in the same Knesset, nor is he eligible to join another faction except one he founds.
In addition, the law forbids including such a Knesset member from being included in the party list of one of the ruling factions running for elections for the next Knesset. Nor would such a member of Knesset would be eligible for party financing.
However, Knesset sources estimate that coalition opposition to declaring Aflalo a member of Knesset who resigned from his faction could block such a move from being carried out. A senior coalition member said in a conversation with Ynet: "We will not help Kadima oppress Aflalo."
The law stipulates that "resignation from a faction" is, among other things, "a vote in the Knesset plenum regardless of the faction's position" regarding a vote of confidence or vote of no confidence in the government. However, the law includes a reservation according to which such a vote will not be considered a resignation in the case of a Knesset member who was not offered anything in exchange for his vote.
Amnon Meranda contributed to this report
